https://ericplaks.bandcamp.com/album/sonic-eel-live-in-brooklyn
Genre: Free Jazz
Rating: 5/5
released on bandcamp September 15, 2021
It seems like I’ve written a review of this artist before but the search engine … I can’t find it if I have.
This is free jazz but it’s highly structured. You could almost call it abstract hard bop. Percussionist Leonid Galaganov has a great resume having recorded with William Parker but for this one, make no mistake about it, pianist Eric Plaks is the bandleader and it’s his damn show. In a good way. He is in charge and everything he does is fucking genius. The song structures are powerful foundations and then after the foundation is established he can and does go everywhere. And I dare say with solid jazz virtuoso skill. I mean compositionally and improvisationally virtuosic. This is a great jazz mind on display.
AOTY list for sure.
Warmth Highest 